The Detroit Red Wings, if I had to describe them in one phrase, they'd be "solid, but unspectacular." That's the kind of offseason and free agency period they had, signing role players and retaining their core. That's not a bad strategy, but it won't catapult them into the top three in the Atlantic Division.
You can't say the same for a close division rival that's building a monster out east. No, not in the Southeast, even if the Wings can learn a thing or two from the Florida Panthers if they ever plan on hoisting the Stanley Cup again.
Another team I'm worried about? The Montreal Canadiens. Both given the way they surprised everyone last season and had no problem handing over a couple of draft picks for a star defenseman. Guess some teams were interested in trading for futures after all.
Anyway, the Habs started making moves last season when they took a chance on Patrik Laine and it worked out pretty well for them. They kept their core intact throughout the process, and found themselves a star defenseman in Lane Hutson.
Red Wings rivals could've kept building with homegrown talent
In many ways, the Canadiens are building with talent they either drafted or players they traded for back when they were prospects. And they could've kept things moving without adding anymore outside talent. But when general manager Kent Hughes saw his opportunity, he took it and acquired Noah Dobson.
The move solidified a blue line that already has Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson as two-way players, plus bruisers in Jayden Struble, Kaiden Guhle, and Arber Xhekaj. Oh, and they traded Logan Mailloux for Zack Bolduc, one of the most lopsided trades of the summer.
Yeah, the Habs are still young, but right now, if you had to be completely honest with yourself and make an unbiased assessment, it's hard to say the Red Wings are in a better position than their rivals in Quebec. Heck, Montreal probably passed up the Ottawa Senators in the process and are, at worst, the fourth-best team in the division.
It didn't need to be this way, Mr. Yzerman
Yesterday, I said I had a lot of respect for Steve Yzerman because he at least has the audacity to stick to his plan, regardless of the scrutiny he faces. But I also said I'd be critical of him when he deserves it. Well, he definitely deserves it when one of the worst teams in the league just 12 short months ago passes up a team that nearly made the playoffs 15 short months ago.
A team that looked like it was light years ahead of Montreal and now, the Wings are stuck behind them, probably as the sixth-best team in the division and ahead of only the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres.
And it didn't need to be this way. Yzerman couldn't trade the 13th pick at the draft, even if he snagged a great prospect in the process. And he didn't make any blockbuster signings when he could've, even if the free agent pool was rather weak.
Yeah, he got rid of Vladimir Tarasenko and brought in a quality goaltender. Those were good moves. James van Riemsdyk coming to town is a solid move, as is taking a chance on Jacob Bernard-Docker, who's going to outperform his contract.
But good enough isn't enough to threaten a top-three spot in the division, with a fourth team looking like a clear front-runner for a wild card. Yeah, the Red Wings have enough talent to contend this season. But keeping up with the Big Three (Florida, Toronto, Tampa), and dealing with a surging Canadiens team will be tough acts to follow.
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